Tamping machine



July 17 1928;

J. D. ABRAM TAMPING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 1, 1926 ATTORNEYJ July 17, 1928.- I 1,677,422

- J. D. A RAM Patented July 17, 1928.

JOHN D. ABRAM, or nnr'rn'oi r', MICHIGAN;

TA-MriNe MACHINE.

Application filed March 1 1926. S eriaiiiT o. 91347,

The invention relates to tamp-ing machines such as are used for tam-ping grout, or other material in molds or the like.

In'machines of this character it is customary to provide a plurality of reciprocable tampin'g rods adapted to be successively reciprocated by successive engagements with lift collars carried by the rods of lift lugs or like devices carried by endless chain's.

Retaining levers are also ordinarily pro- 7 vi'ded for retaining the tamping rods in their raised inoperative positions. In order for the retaining device to hold the tamping rods free from engagement with the lift lugs, the rods must receive an' upward force suflicient to impart enough momentum to the rods to clear the extreme upward travel of thelift lugs from engagement with ,the lift collars to cause engagement of the lift collars with the retaining levers. With such a construction unless the machine is operated at approximately normal operating speed, the

tan'ipin'g rods do not receive sufiicient mo mentum, although they may still be held in I raised position by engagement of the lift lugs with the lift collars; This causes the operator to believe that the tamping rods are secured in their raised positions by the retaining levers with the frequent result that, upon slight further operation of the machine, as in adjusting one of the tamping rods, one of the tamping rod lift collars is cleared from supporting engagement with its lift lug whereupon it falls, injuring the operator and perhaps damagii'igthe various parts of the machine. i

It is an object of my invention to'providc a safety device wherebythe tamping rods may be held positively in their inoperative positions even when ins'utlicient momentum is imparted to the rods to'cause travel of the lift collars beyond the point of their engagement with the lift lugs.

A- further'feature of the invention resides in the spring construction adapted for actuating the retaining levers.- V

A still further feature of the invention resides in the spring housing construction permitting of convenient replacement and adjustment of the parts without requiring disassembly of the spring housing supporting and actuating shaft.

Another feature of the invention resides in the construction of the tamping rod operating chains including the lift lug" link con structi'on, the lift lugs being carried-entirely by the respective chains, as distinguished rrompr'ior devices, of this character wherein the lift lugs bridged adjacent chains .giv 111g rise to objectionable twisting, straining and uneven wearing of the chains. My invention also includes a chain guide for the. several reaping rod actuating chains, a construction made possible by the lift lug link structure.-

i h Another feature of the invention resides, in the provision of improved simply constructed adjustable bearing for the chain sprocket idler shaft. p 7

Still another feaaees'rsides' in the lift collar and stop collar constructionspernii'tting of their clamping with the tem' mg rods, eliminating vibration and removing to a great extent the shearing stress on the clamping bolts. W q

Vl ith these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novl'features of construction and combination and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter described and claimed. q i i t Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts; Figure 1 .is a perspective view of machine; p Figure 2 is a rear elevation view of the machine; I j t v Figure 3 is a'detail viewin elevation showing the operating and retaining mechanisms forthe tainping rods;

ing construction for: the retaining lever spring, one section of the housing being e moved; I V H H Figure 5 is a' detail front elevation view of a lift collar; H i I I, M

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the tamping rod actuating chains, showing a liftlug,and V Figure 7 is a detail front elevation View. of the actuating chains showing the chain guides. v v g In the drawings reference character, represents the machine frame and B the grout; or other molding mixture, receiving and molding apparatus, the latter being of driven sprockets 18 and 19 respectively, coris adapted to berocked 'mounted on the shaft responding sprockets being engaged by endless chains 20,'the latter being thus preferably located atthe rear of the tamping rods respectively.

a For imparting a lifting action to the rods 12 the chains 20 are provided at suitable intervals throughout their lengths with lift lugs 21, shown best in Figure 6, these lugs being preferably in the nature ofrollers supported by the brackets 22 forming a connecting link of the chain. The lugs are thus offset from the line of travel of the chains toward the tamping rods. Engageable by the lugs 21 are the rearwardly extending shouldered portions 23 of the lift collars C.

7 These collars are formed of the complementa-ry sections 24 and 25, as shown in Figure 5, and are adapted for clamping engagement with the respective rods 12 by reason of the clampingbolts 26.

The forward portions of the chains 20 preferably run in the substantially U-shaped channel guides 27 supported from frame A by the cross bars 28.

The liftcollars C are formed with the vertically spaced shoulders 29 and 30, engageable by the end portions 31 of the retaining levers 32, the latter being loosely 32*. This shaft is cocentrically mounted in fixed bearings 33 and successively in opposite directions by the lever arm 34, link 35 and actuating lever 36 pivoted at 37 to frame A.

The retaining levers 32 are each formed I with oppositely extending lugs 38v and 39 selectively engageable by opposite ends of a spring 40 preferably of the leaf type. The latter springs are mounted in spring housings D preferably constructed ofcomplementary sections 41 and 42, each section being fixed to the shaft32 as by set screws 43. It will thus be noted that in placing or removing the springs'40 itris onlynecessary to slide one or more of the sections 41, 42 lon-' gitudinally of shaft 32*, giving complete access to the springs.

E are stop collars for limiting the downward travel under gravity of the tamping rods 12, these collars being also formed of complementary clamping sections 43, 44 adjustably clamped longitudinally of the tamping rods by clamping bolts 45. The stop col supported in inoperative position'by engagement of retaining levers 32 with shoulders 30 of the lift collars C, the lever 36 being thrown to rotate shaft 32 clockwise as seen in Figure 3 causing springs 40 to exert a pressure against the levers 32 tending to maintain them in engaged supporting rela tion with the lift collars C. In this position the shoulder portions 23 of the lift collars will be free from contact with the lift lugs 21 as the latter are carried in the endless path by chains 20, clockwise as seen in Figure 3. When it is desired to cause reciprocation of the tamping rods'the lever- 36 is pulled forwardly rocking shaft 32 counterclockwise as seen in Flgure 3, causing the opposite end of spring 40 to act on lugs 30 so as to exert an upward thrust on the levers 32, the thrust being insufficient to disengage levers 32 from the collars C, because of the relatively great weight of the tamping rods, but sufficient to disengage these levers when the lift lugs 21 strike the shoulders 23, slightly raising the tamping rods. The lugs 21 will strike the rods because of the lowering of the levers 32 with the tamping rods due to the eccentric mounting of shaft 32 Release of the weight of the tamping rods from retaining rods 32 causes movement of the latter, under action of spring 40, to the dotted line position in Figure 3. With the levers thus free of engagement with the lift collars, the tamping rods will be raised by lift lugs 21, falling downwardly under their own weights, the lift lugs being properly spaced to permit such reciprocation.

When it is desired to render the tamping rods inoperative, the handle 36 is again moved to the position shown in Figure 1,

throwing the levers 32 downwardly so as to be engaged with shoulders 30 of the lift eol lars, the lift lugs normally imparting suffi cient momentum to the tamping rods to cause such engagement. 1

It frequently happens that, for example, when the chains are being operated at less than their normal speed as in starting up the machine, the tamping rods will not be given sufficient momentum to cause engagement of the shoulders 30 with levers 32, the handle 36 having been thrown rearwardly. Since the tamping rods, under such conditions will be held in the partially raised positions by engagement of the lift lugs with shoulders 23, the operator is led to erroneously assume IUD that the lovers the chains, one of the lift lugs may be moved beyond the point of support of the corresponding tamping rod, resulting in a sudden downward travel of such rod causing injury to the operator or to the machine parts, mold, etc.

In order to prevent such an accidental release of the tamping rods, I have formed the collars O with the shouldered portions 29 so that, in the event of-operation of the chains, at less than their normal speed, the lift collars C will nevertheless be sufficiently raised to cause supporting engagement of the levers 32 with shoulders 29. Under such conditions the lift lugs 21 will engage shoulders 23 each time the lift lugs are brought adjacent the upper limit of their travel, but such engagement will not free the tamping rods from the levers 32, release being only brought about by actuation of the lever 36.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, the nature and advantage of my invention will be readily understood, I desire to have it understood, that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of the claims.

What I claim as my inventionis 1. A tamping machine comprising a reciprocable'tamping rod, means retaining the tamping rod in inoperative position, an actuating mechanism-for imparting movement to the tamping rod and movable in a predetermined path so as to engage the tamping rod to impart sufficient momentum thereto to move the rod into the aforesaid.

inoperative position, and a safety device'for also maintaining the tamping rod in inoperative position when the rod is not moved sufliciently to cause its engagement with the said retaining means.

2. A tamping machine comprising a reciprocable tamping rod, means retaining the tamping rod in inoperative position, an actuating mechanism for imparting movement to the tamping rod. and movable in a pre-. determined path so as to engage the tamping rod to impart sufficient momentum thereto to movethe rod into the'aforesaid inoperative position, the said actuating mechanism being free from engagement with the tamping rod when the latter is in the said inoperative position, and a safety device for also mamtaining the tamping rod in inoperative position when the rod/is not moved sufficiently to cause its engagement with the said retaining means.

3. A tamping machine comprising a reciprocable tamping rod, means retainingthe determined distance.

tamping rod in inoperative position, an actuating mechanism for imparting movement to the tamping. rod and movable in a predetermined path so as to engage the tamping rod to impart sufficient momentum thereto to move the rod into the aforesaid inoperative position, the said actuating mechanism being 7 free from engagement with the tamping rod when the latter is inthe said inoperative position, and a safety device for also maintaining the tamping rod in inoperative posi tion when therod is not moved sufliciently to cause its engagement with the said retaining means, the said actuating mechanism being engageable with the tampingrodwhen the latter is in the last said inoperative position. 7

4. A tamping machine comprising areciprocable tamping rod, means for impart ing a stroke to said rod in one direction of travel of the rod, retaining means for hold.- ing. the rod in inoperative position when the same has moved a predetermined distance,

and a safety device for also holding the rod:

in inoperative position when the same has moved a distance less than that said pre- 5. A tamping machine comprising a reciprocable tamping rod, means forimparting a. lift stroke to said rod, retaining means for holding the rod in its raised inoperative position free from engagement by said stroke imparting'means, and a safety device for supporting said rod in another inoperative position thereof, said rod being engageable. by said stroke-imparting means in the last said position.

6. A tampingv machine comprising a reciprocable tamping rod,'a lift collar carried by the rod, a lift lug engageable with said collar for imparting a lift stroke to said rod,

said lug being movable in a predetermined path out of engagement with the collar when the rod nears. the'upper limit of its travel, means for supporting the rod in the last said position thereof, and means for supporting said rod in raised position less than that last aforesaid.

7. A tamping machine comprising a reciprocable tamping rod, a lift collar carried by the rod and provided with a pair of vertically spaced shoulders, a lift lug engageable with said collar for imparting a lift stroke'to said-rod, and means selectively engageable with saidvertically spaced shouldersfor supporting the tamping rod in correspondingraised positions.

8. A'tamping machine comprising a reciprocable tamping rod, a lift collar carried by the rod and provided with apair of vertically spaced'shoulders and a third shoulder, an endless chain provided wit-h a lift lug engageable with said't-hird shoulder for imparting a lift stroke to the rod, said lug Ill mined path out of engagement with said third shoulder when the rod nears the upper limit of its travel, and retaining means adapted'for selective engagement with said vertically spaced shoulders, to support the rod.

9. A tamping machine comprising a reciprocable tamping rod, a lift collar carried b the rod and provided with a pair of vertlcally spaced shoulders and a third shoulder, an endless chain provided with a lift lug engageable with said third shoulder for imparting a lift stroke to the rod, said lug being moved by the chain in a predetermined path out of engagement with said third shoulder when the rod nears the upper limit of its travel, and retaining means adapted for selective engagement with said vertically spaced shoulders, said third shoulder being beyond the path of movement of the said lug when the retaining means is in engagement with one of said vertically spaced shoulders and being in the path of movement of the lug when the retaining means is in engagement with the other of said vertically spaced shoulders.

10. A tamping machine comprising a vertically reciprocable tamping rod, means for imparting a lift stroke to said rod, retaining means engageable with the rod to support the same when the first said means imparts a predetermined momentum to the rod and a safety device also engageable with the rod for supporting the same when said first means imparts'to the rod a less momentum than that aforesaid. a

11. In combination with a reciprocable member, a lever engageable with said member, a shaft, said lever being swingingly mounted on said shaft, a spring, and means controlled by a' movement of said shaft selectively in opposite directions for causing said spring to exert pressure on said lever tending to establish engagement or disengagen'ient of the lever with said reciprocable member depending on the direction of movement of the shaft.

12. In combination with a reciprocable member, a lever engageable with said mem ber, a shaft, said lever being swingingly mounted on said shaft, a spring, and means controlled by a movement of said shaft selectively in opposite directions for causing'said spring to exert pressure on said lever tending to establish engagement or disengagement of the lever with said reciprocable member depending on the direction of movement of the shaft, the pressure exerted by the spring when tending to establish the aforesaid disengagement of said lever and member being insufficient to completely disengage said parts without prior movement of the said reciprocable member, and means for moving the said member as last aforesaid.

member, a lever engageable with said member, a shaft, said lever being swingingly mounted on said shaft, a spring, andmeans controlled by a movement of said shaft selectively in opposite directions for causing said spring to exert pressure on said lever tending to establish engagement or disengagement of the lever with said reciprocable member depending on the direction of movement of the shaft, and a housing for said spring mounted on said shaft, said housing being formed of a plurality of sections.

14. In combination with a reciprocable member, a lever engageable with said member, a shaft, said lever being swingly mounted on said shaft, a spring, and means controlled by a movement of said shaft seleetively in opposite directions for causing said spring to exert pressure on said lever tending to establish. engagement or disengagement of the lever with said reciprocable member depending on the direction of movement of the shaft, and a housing.

for said spring mounted on saidshaft, said housing being formed of a plurality of sections, each of said sections bein independently slidable longitudinally of t 1e shaft.

15. In a tamping machine, a plurality of reciprocable tamping rods, levers engageable with said rods, a shaft mounting one end of said levers, a spring associated with each of said levers for exerting pressure selectively in opposite directions on the levers respectively, and a housing for each of said springs, each housing comprising a plurality of sections slidably engaging the shaft whereby any of said springs may be removed or inserted from or into its housing without disassembly of said shaft.

16. In combination with a reciprocable member and a lever engageable therewith, a shaft, spring means for exerting pressure on said lever, and a housing for said spring means, said housing being formed in a plurality of sections.

17. In a tamping machine, a plurality of recip'rocable tamping rods, a plurality of tamping rod actuating endless chains, and lift lugs carried by said chains for imparting a movement to said rods, each of the said lugs comprising brackets forming with the chain, a Ushaped member, and a roller spanning the free ends of the said U-shaped member, the said lugs being mounted inde pendently of each other on said chains respectively, and means for actuating said chains. a

18. In a tamping machine, a reciprocable tamping rod, a tamping rod actuating end less chain, one connecting link of said chain being formed with a pair of laterally extending arms, and a roller spanning the free ends of the said arms adapted for imparting a movement to said rod.

19. In a tamping machine, a plurality of reciprocable tamping rods,

reciprocable tamping rods, a plurality of tamping rod actuating endless chains, and lift lugs carried by said chains for imparting a movement to said rods, said lugsbeing mounted independently of each other on said chains respectively, and means for actuating said chains, said lift lugs forming connecting links in the chains respectively.

20. In a tamping mechine, a reciprocable tamping rod, a tamping rod actuating endless chain, one connecting link of said chain being formed with a lug adapted for imparting a movement to said rod, said lug being laterally offset from the path of movement of the chain and having a roller adapted for engagement with the said rod.

21. In a tamping machine, a plurality of a plurality of tamping rod actuating endless chains, and lift lugs carried by said chains for imparting a movement to said rods, said lugsbeing mounted independently of each other on said chains respectively, means for actuatin said chains, and means engageable with the sides of said chains for guiding the chains during movement thereof.

22. In a tamping machine, a plurality of reciprocable tamping rods, a plurality of tamping rod actuating endless chains and lift lugs carried by said chains for imparting a movement to said rods, said lugs being mounted independently of each other on said chains respectively, means for actuating said chains, and means engageable with the v sides of said chains for guiding the chains during movement thereof, said last named means comprising substantially U-shaped channel members.

23. In a tamping machine, a tamping rod, a lift collar, and a stop collar, said collars being formed of a plurality of sections for clamping engagement with said rod, and means for clamping said sections with said 7 rod.

24. In a tamping machine, a tamping rod, 2.- lift collar, a stop collar above said lift collar, each of said collars comprising a pair of sections engageable with opposite sides of said rod and a clamping bolt engageable with said sections for clamping them with the rod.

25. In a tamping machine, a tamping rod, and a stop collar, said collar being formed of a plurality of sections for clamping engagement with said rod, and means for clamping said sections with said rod.

26. In combination with a reciprocable member, a lever engageable with said member, oppositely extending lugs on said lever, and a spring movable to selectively engage said lugs to resiliently establish engagement or disengagement of the lever with the said reciprocable member.

lever resiliently engaging the said tamping rod for retaining the samein inoperative position, the said tamping rod being provided with a pair of portions engageable by the said lever, adapted to function as a safety device and to be engaged by the lever only when the tamping rod is moved a sub-normal distance.

29. In combination with a reciprocable g member and a lever engageable therewith,

a shaft, a housing mounted thereon, and resilient means carried by said housing for one of the said portions being exerting pressure onsaid lever, said housing 7 and lever being mounted for pivotal movement on a common axis.

30. In combination with a reciprocable member and a lever engageable therewith, a shaft, a housing mounted thereon, and resil-f ient means carried by said housing for exerts ing pressure onsaid lever, said housing and lever being mounted for pivotal movement on a common axis, and the resilient means engaging the lever at opposite sides thereof.

31. In combination with a reciprocable member and a lever engageable therewith, a shaft, a housing mounted thereon, and resilient means carried by said housing for alternatively engaging the lever upon opposite faces thereof.

32. In combination with a reciprocable member and a lever engageable therewith, a shaft, a housing mounted thereon, and resilient means carried by said housing for selectively engaging the lever upon opposite faces thereof, the housing with its lever engaging means having a limited pivotal movement independent of the lever while the said engaging means are out of contact with the lever.

33. In combination with a reciprocable member and a lever engageable therewith, a shaft, a housing mounted thereon and provided with spaced means located at opposite sides of the lever and adapted to be selec tively carried into and out of engagement with the lever. 1

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

JOHN D. ABRAM. 

